Disrespect For National Symbol

June 7, 1987

MY COMPLIMENTS to Don Boyett for his column about treating the flag with dignity, not disgrace. Attention should be called more often to the disrespect and indignities visited upon the symbol of our republic.

Although ''The Star-Spangled Banner'' is our national anthem, how long has it been since you heard the fourth stanza of that proud song?

Is it because it has such words as ''Conquer we must, when our cause it is just and . . . in God is our trust''? Is this considered a violation of keeping church and state separate? Or is it just a little more of that overt action that is in fact covert subversion?

There is a law against defiling the flag, but when a flag stamp is canceled, the flag is defiled -- thus leading the people to become scofflaws. Just so does the denigration of the states belittle the dignity of the sovereign state. Example: FL for the beautiful Florida and WA for Washington. With the coming of the five-plus-four ZIP codes, cities and residential areas will be given this same treatment, on into the dark night of the passing of individuality and pride.

One day we shall have our numbers tattooed on the palms of our hands so we can pass it over the gadget at the checkout counter to pay our grocery bill.